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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25864474">By the River</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Magic, Always READ the Notes, Anal Sex, Animal Ears, Bonding, Conflict, Demon like, Except killing people, I will always miss tags, Implied Alter Ego, Implied Mpreg, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Masturbation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, No beta I die like my paper crane, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Not Really Character Death, Original PWP but it got out of hand, Other: See Story Notes, Out of Character, POV First Person, Self-Lubrication, Similar but not ABO, Story starts when underaged but nothing happens, Tags Are Hard, implied trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:41:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,039</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25864474</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Father always said demons were evil. The Kingdom hated them. They were ruthless, cruel, well versed in the art of torture. At least that is what I grew believing ever since my father said they had caused our mother's death.<br/>Years later I would meet the Forest God, but why does he wear a wolf mask?</p><p>Written from Madara's POV.<br/>Author apologizes for terrible summary, and terrible first person POV.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Senju Hashirama/Uchiha Madara, background Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Izuna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Characters not mine, they went a little OOC but I always try to adapt them to the new universe... Blame the AU.</p><p>I will always put this warning at the start of my works because in this day and age I am scared of people, and I also don't want people to be triggered:<br/>BUT...<br/>Most of my typing is done whilst being tipsy, so if my use of alcohol is not something you want to know or feel comfortable with please evade my works as I might refer to it.</p><p>Secondly, I write for myself, but at last decided to post something because why not. Love it or hate it, I was just willing to share.</p><p>Lastly, roasts and hate will be eaten.</p><p>Enjoy ^^</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Father always said demons were evil. The Kingdom hated them. The apparent verdict was that they were ruthless, cruel, well versed in the art of torture; driving the humans they targeted into mental breakdowns and turning them into mad desperation, craving death rather than being subjected to such mercies. Father said that the Kingdom was to be protected from these threats, we were the ones at the frontlines; he took much pride in our clan of mages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Uchiha clan was the only in the entire land to have managed to tame the most dangerous kind of magic, fire. The greatest weapon against demonic magic. Common folk would always confuse the nature of demonic magic, controlling the elements of water, air, fire, and earth was not demonic; using them to control life was. Demon magic could control the animals and the plants, making a life serve another for their nefarious reasons was evil.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Kingdom had been peaceful, or so they say, until allegedly a noblewoman fell in love with a demon prince? Or was she the princess? The history books were always changing in this aspect. She was a human with little magic, and it was said she birthed two sons. One was born a demon, a black beast with claws, a maw with razor-sharp teeth, cold glinting eyes like a murderer. One was born human, with magic so powerful it could easily command all the elements. Both of her sons had completely opposite natures, causing them to anger, to clash, to disrupt the balance. Then the history book went on and on, and the conclusion was she was driven insane by those whom she had loved; her sons fighting to the death with each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Father, why were they fighting each other if they were brothers?” a five-year-old me had once asked my father as he lectured all of us on history and whatnot. I was closest to my little brother Izuna, he was just three years younger, and he would never know our mother. I never wanted to fight Izuna.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is said it was due to their conflicting ideals,” my father answered, stroking his non-existent beard, then he added, “the demon wanted to destroy the peace his brother had brought the kingdom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seemed quite definite.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fa-Father, more about mama?” Izuna, mumbled and stuttered, he always questioned father about her, he questioned our older brothers sometimes too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izuna,” he sighed, “mother, she, was taken away by those demons,” our sweet mother had died shortly after Izuna was born, father said she had been kidnapped, we were not allowed to mourn over her body as he deemed it too bloody for our young eyes. Sadly, blood is all we would see in the following years as war erupted between the kingdom we served and the beastly creatures that haunted us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I trained every day of my life. After the war started, I was not allowed to the battlefield until the age of twelve. When I was deemed strong enough to kill. This is how our oldest brother perished shortly after his ceremony of coming of age. How our second oldest brother perished before the said ceremony. How all of them left me and Izuna alone; I vowed to stay strong and protect Izuna.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first time I killed a demon was in my first battle, and perhaps that was when I started to have mixed feelings in all this hatred. I would never admit that to my father, he is a proud man, and being questioned was not good, especially if that meant questioning a millennia-old concept.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I had walked, mostly stumbled, through the battlefield, as much as I was prepared, I was not ready. Not ready for the viciousness of the very nature of the land attacking me, the knife-like teeth, and claws that the creatures had. As much as we had to study every single aspect of their biology, I had ever seen one before. Not ready for the pungent, iron smell that permeated the air, the acrid smell that raised from the burnt, the soft feel of crunching bone, and ripping flesh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Most of all not ready to stab a demon, a child like me, in the heart. Seeing the light in his eyes fade, the pulsing blood pool under his body, the anger in his expression, or the frustration in mine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I didn’t sleep that night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or the next.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet battle after battle, the numbness increased, I steeled my heart and iced my feelings. Repeating to myself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>this is right, they are evil, they want to bring harm to the innocents in the kingdom</span>
  </em>
  <span>. A mantra, I soon came to believe. At least Izuna didn’t have to see battle yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In between each battle, father would still teach us, perfect your technique, learn their weakness, honour your history. Alright.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since I started to learn magic, I learnt fire could be very temperamental. Even creating a little flame, could cause immediate combustion of anything. This is why the training grounds were surrounded by rocks and sand. We perfected fire, and leisurely practiced with the other elements. When I started battling, shortly after becoming twelve, I could blow out streams of fire, manifest little fireballs, controlling their heat and explosiveness. Father was proud. I played around with earth magic, creating little coloured gems from simple stones and sand for Izuna to play around with. Father was not impressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Learning about demons was excruciating to my brains. Demons had a hierarchy of sorts, the lowest ranks were occupied by those that controlled small animals, and the highest could control the very fabric of nature. There were three major clans, the Aburame with the damn tiny insects, the Inuzuka with their large beasts, and the deadliest, the Senju who could bend nature to their will. There were more small clans, which also fit in those categories, but they were minor disturbances, at least my brain classified them as that and moved on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Demon biology was confusing and apparently important. A demoness was called a Lady, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ok</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and they were more vicious than the demons due to their protective nature. Understandable, they rarely went to battle to take care of their children, they killed if their children were endangered. Similarly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>similarly?</span>
  </em>
  <span> A demon was either a Sire or a Bearer, </span>
  <em>
    <span>uh ok</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a bearer was much like a lady, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I see</span>
  </em>
  <span>. They might look submissive or innocent, but do not mistake their nature as they are more difficult to kill, more persistent, and defensive. A sire is very protective of their mate, and the strongest physically of all three, engaging in hand to hand combat can be difficult, use magic instead. Demons can experience a heat when-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Father forbade to read past that section. Hitting the back of my head and telling me to wait for ‘the talk’. Which meant I would be embarrassed in the near future about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Demon appearance was complicated. They could blend in with humans, if they had a strong magic control, making it difficult to pick them out. Easier for them to attack the common folk. Some had ears and tails like wolves, with sharpened nails and fangs. Others had fast wings and tough talons like birds. They all had twisting black horns protruding from their heads.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does that mean their eyes always show their magic whilst hiding their appearance?” Izuna had asked in one of the lectures shortly after I had arrived from a battle. Right, eyes shone when a spark of magic was used. The Uchiha had red eyes, reflecting the fiery magic. A Senju I had burnt to a crisp had shone green eyes, but another I had dismembered had shone blue. I was getting too used to the dead bodies, they no longer had a lingering impression in my memory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, unfortunately, they hide their appearance by controlling the flow of magic rather than letting it out,” father had answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Practicing sword fight was also as important, when defending yourself from slashing claws, it was as important as magic. For my thirteenth birthday, I got my own sword, father said it was due to my accomplishments as a good fighter in the raging war. I named it Blazing Fire. The blade was black as night with flashes of orange, made from fine dragon scales; the hilt was a simple brown but warm to the touch. The sword was made to embody my flames.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next battle broke me again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It started as per usual, like little ants to battle, everything was brazen chaos. The smell of smoke still stung my nose, but it no longer affected my eyes. I got used to slashing and burning through the crowd. A demon, black-tailed, white ears, speedy, tried to defend themselves, or their peers. A frenzy of claws trying to block my calculated jabs, desperately trying to parry against me. The clink of claws against metal just egged me on, I had trained my mind into numbness. Forced my face into expressionless, coerced my heart into stone stillness. Nothing seemed to bother me in the battlefield, not true in some of my nightmares. Bathing in blood, and feeling exhilarated by the screams, by the crackling wood, screeches of death; was but the contrary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hence, when I heard a pained wail from halfway across the terrain, I was unbothered, until I looked up. The mangled being I had been fighting had fallen, pierced by my blade, charred and parched, by my flames. Its... No, his eyes weren’t angry, they were sad. The wail hadn’t been him, but from a lady pummelling through the fighting masses, eyes fixed on his dead body. Something cracked in my mask, and for a moment, the crazed persona that had been created to love this massacre, disappeared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much to say, I ran away from camp the next morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ran away might seem like I wasn’t returning, but the pride father had instilled onto us made that an impossibility, hence with the excuse of meditating, I distanced myself temporarily for the day. The night before was haunted with horrors, things I had done, I was drowning in the metallic smell, with a throat burning, and limbs of lead. Decidedly, I needed a distraction, lest the dark circles around my tired eyes become worse. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sounding like an old man already</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I went to a protected and blocked off a section of a river that flowed close to the camp. Large boulders shielded the little paradise from the view of outsiders, and an ancient weeping willow provided a shelter. It was a perfect haven I had found when I was about eight whilst escaping, uh, exploring. It was far away from camp but close enough so I could go anytime. I sat on the small flat boulder where willow’s curtain of fronds parted, creating something much like a window to the green secret shelter underneath the heavy curtain of leaves. I proceeded to pick and throw rocks into the river, with no purpose other than getting distracted by the splash.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, you could try skipping them instead of chucking them,” jumping almost out of my skin, and getting ready to fight, too bad I didn’t bring Blazing Fire along for additional damage. I turned to the voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The owner of the voice was a boy, much like me. With a horrendous bowl haircut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stared at me expectantly, he didn’t seem threatening, but I didn’t really lower my guard. Maybe I could befriend him, get some information, whether friend or foe, it was good to keep them close. I opened my mouth, </span>
  <em>
    <span>try to be nice</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but only one thing was on my mind at that moment.</span>
</p><p><span>“Your haircut is horrible,” </span><em><span>way to go</span></em> <em><span>Madara</span></em><span>, I berated myself, </span><em><span>you are the best at this</span></em><span>. Strangely, the boy across the stream seemed to laugh, then seconds later he had produced a little dark cloud over his head that seemed to threaten its caster with rain. </span><em><span>Wasn’t he just laughing? Why is he so suddenly depressed?</span></em><span> Obviously, I had no filter when in my haven.</span></p><p>
  <span>“You, what is wrong with you? Weren’t you just laughing? What is this cloud?” Then as if I had called him over, he skipped over the gentle watery ebb and flows, smile plastered on his idiotic face. Landing softly, on the bank on my side, in front of my boulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who called you over?” I tried to sound snarky, but I was also interested in knowing more of the seemingly bipolar boy. Closer to me I could see, he was just as tall as me, skin slightly tanned, brown hair and golden-brown eyes. Then his sense of style was also weird. A light brown shirt and dirty brown pants, he looked like one of the farmer boys in the prairies of the kingdom. Father always said a mage must present themselves in a regal fashion since we were trusted and praised by the royal family. I had my navy-blue robe on, and black pants, I looked simple and far from the usual image of power a mage in their battle armor looks like, so if this boy was from our kingdom he wouldn’t recognize me as an Uchiha, </span>
  <em>
    <span>that is for the best I guess</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Only for battle did I ever use the light, tight black battle armor and black leather vambraces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did,” he said, smiling again, that smile is too bright for my mood. Which was getting better because of it, but I did not want to accept that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What no?” And then the cloud manifested itself again, that seemed like such a mood I am calling it cloud. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud: maximum expression of depression, apparently</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why does that thing keep on appearing over your head?” It dissipated, yet again. He grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It just appears when I get sad, can’t really control it,” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Water, or air magic-user? Maybe. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Then he added, “Why are you here chucking rocks?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“None of your business.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cloud</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Damn, your mood swings are too much, ok, ok, I am just lost in thought.” Grin. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I cannot with this boy</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You seem like you are my age. Fourteen?” He inquired curiously, whilst collecting pebbles to chuck into the river with me, I had returned to sitting on my boulder, flicking my remaining ones into the river.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- yes.” I was basically fourteen. Almost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can be friends,” he said as he brought over his pebbles and started skipping them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” I said, as I started using magic to transform mine into colourful gems, much like how I did when Izuna was younger. He seemed mesmerized by the changing colours, so no cloud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, oh,” he seemed happy, as he ran to scoop a ball of... water, throwing it over to me! Instinctively, I caught it. Once I did it had already turned to ice, being cold and slowly melting from the heat of my palm. I put it amongst the pile of pebbles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good water magic,” more like a mumble to myself, but he seemed to take pride in it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I come to practice here sometimes, do you come to practice here often?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I come to take my mind off the war,” I tried to not give much information, some is ok.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you are forced to participate in it too?” He seemed a little bit sad about it. He chucked the pebbles from the pile he collected, no longer skipping them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could say,” it was... nice, to have someone to talk to, about the simple things, not the battle strategies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to meet here? I could use someone to talk to, and practice, maybe,” he turned to me, I looked at him, not really turning to give him attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, if I have time,” friendly, be friendly. He gave me a bright toothy smile, and then I felt the corners of my mouth curl upwards, just slightly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Damn, his smile can be a bit contagious</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, with that beam of sunshine and laughter, he declared, “My name is Hashirama!”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Do I know what I am doing?<br/>No, never.</p><p>Hopefully, I didn't leave any glaring mistakes, I do try to re-read more than once.<br/>English is not my first language, but both the traditional and simplified *ehe* stuck with me so, yeah.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Madara grows up.<br/>And things happen, that make him realize or not, things.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This when I wrote it was not meant to be long, at all.<br/>Like it was a PWP, but then there was a plot.<br/>The plot glides through the air.</p><p>Apologies for the grammar.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Madara,” I replied, I had to scrunch my face and squint my eyes, just to turn to look at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That brilliant aura was blinding, but this is how our semi-regular meetings by the river started. Any time I was away from the battlefield and the camp, I would show up. He was sometimes there, other times he wasn’t, or maybe he showed up later. Then we’d talk about the mundane, never or rarely touching the subjects related to the war. Focusing on general things about magic. I never showed him my fire magic, too obvious to pinpoint as an Uchiha as no other mage clan could control fire to such an extent. Instead, every time we met, I tried to create complex shapes with an array of colours as gems from the pebbles. He would create patterns in his little water and ice spheres.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a year of constantly meeting, I hoped my father didn’t suspect me, at least, the additional meditation I did in the training grounds, and improved fire magic appeased him. I could now create fire dragons, the flames I breathed out would form a long serpentine dragon that could undulate weightless around and attack different targets away from the usual range, like an arrow you could control and tell it where to go. Father was happy I could learn advanced techniques, a prodigy, he would claim. I took pride in it. I showed Izuna and helped him, his first battle came soon, at least I could accompany him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gruesome as they were, Izuna took it upon himself to create a mask much faster than I did, but less crazed, less bloodthirsty. At least, I tried to do the killing in his stead. He was skillful at incapacitating the demons with a blade, he had called his Falling Snow. The blade was swifter than mine, whilst mine was made to hack and relied on strength, Izuna’s was nimble, speedy, and accurate. I believed Izuna was the prodigy in swordsmanship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My coming of age ceremony was coming soon. Soon meaning in a year, as I was currently fifteen, the ceremony occurred when reaching sixteen. Yet apparently, there were preparations that needed to be done, and more things I needed to learn. Embarrassing things my battle-trained mind was not ready to take in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ceremony was to choose a partner, one that you might bond to magically, it was almost like an arranged marriage. If you formed a bond with the other party, it was celebrated, if you didn’t it was still celebrated. I guess it was just an excuse to celebrate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>First, was that section father had prohibited me to read, I had to read it now. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gods no.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Uh, where was I?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Right. Demons can experience a heat when they have magically bonded, a heat affects bearers and ladies more than sires, it is their most vulnerable state. Unbonded demons will not experience these effects. It is rare for a demon to mate with other than their magically bonded. </span>
  <em>
    <span>WHY AM I LEARNING THIS?</span>
  </em>
  <span> My brain refused to remember further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then came the book about bonds, and a heavy sigh left my dying body. Dying of shame, and exasperating awkwardness. Magic-users can form a magical bond with another, this bond is very intimate and permits the sharing of emotions and magic through it. Bonds form due to perfect magical compatibility, the closer the magical prowess, the stronger the contrast, the more likely to form a complete. No bonds will ever form with those related by blood. Bonds are not common; many never form one. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, ok</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Usually, magic users that form a bond become life partners, in rare occasions, they choose a non-magic user as their life partner; rare due to the intimate connection of the bond. In demons, </span>
  <em>
    <span>why the demons again?</span>
  </em>
  <span> In demons, these bonds cannot be ignored, a human should never bond with a demon. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ok book, I understand</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally came, ‘the talk’, the moment I would instantly combust due to the levels of awkwardness and embarrassment. At least that moment was a few months away, so I decided to visit the river again. It would be almost two years since I started to meet the emotionally unstable idiot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I hadn’t seen Hashirama in more than half a year, the battles raged on, I was more tired each time, but I had made a name for myself, I was known by the name of my sword, Blazing Fire, or as the Blazing Dragon. Father was more than proud, and I was promoted to being a general, and a strategist. Particularly since a strong demon had appeared. Speculated to be from the Senju clan, and known through the frontlines as the Forest God. I had yet to meet this formidable foe, but the rumors going around the camp was that he could make plants follow even in the most barren of lands, bark so thick and sharp that our fire had to struggle to burn it down. He would surely become a leader, if he wasn’t yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I will become the leader and cut him down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arriving at the usual meeting place, there were no signs of Hashirama, I slowly wondered at the possibility that he no longer came since I had disappeared for so long. An incoming projectile told me otherwise, his ice spheres now had two layers of designs, this one had a rose perfectly formed encased in a bubble of thin ice. The ice also didn’t seem to melt, just keeping its coolness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I gave him the side-eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I couldn’t look away, because who the hell was this man across half a river walking casually towards me on little ice platforms. I did not just stare, and my eyes were not slightly rounder in surprise. Definitely not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This man was obviously Hashirama, he had a little cloud following his head. Yet he was taller, at least half a head taller than me. His back was broad, muscles rippling as he leisurely strode across the stream and jumped onto the bank. His hair was also no longer a bowl cut, rather it was straight and long, neatly gathered by a headband, much unlike my long messy blackness that could not be tamed. His skin was sun-kissed tanned, I still looked pale like a ghost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I swallowed a lump and blinked to focus on something else other than the man that was approaching me, smiling now. He is too handsome, this is unfair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are here,” he stated happily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am.” I was feeling prickly. Thus, when he extended his hand to receive our usual exchange, the stone turned into an urchin, with sharp needles, and pure black. He whimpered as the thing landed on his open palm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I didn’t know you, I’d say you are being moody,” he gently picked the gem urchin and placed it on the boulder by the willow, beside his iced sphere. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just been busy,” like killing things, and wanting to poke my eyeballs out, because of the book about intimacy I’ve been forced to study thoroughly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guessed, the war is getting intense,” a little cloud, “I wished children didn’t take part in it, my little brother Tobirama has been fighting in it too, and he worries me, he is all I have left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand,” I patted his shoulder, physical contact with him was not uncommon as he could be sticky sometimes, “a little safe haven like this one would be good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right!” he exclaimed whilst suddenly clinging onto me in the form of a hug, “A peaceful hidden village.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, get off me,” I shoved him off, so sticky. Doesn’t mean I want him to be sticking on me, but I don’t mind... much.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So mean, you disappear and then come back meaner,” he pouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thinking on stupid things, then seeing your idiotic face makes me feel mean,” I countered, he pouted even more as he walked by, settling on the boulder by the willow, carefully pushing aside the ‘trinkets’ we created.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What things?” he lazed, swaying his head towards me again. This made his hair cascade over his shoulder. I swallowed another lump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The, uh, coming of age ceremony,” I crossed my arms over my chest, and made my way to a spot beside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that,” he chuckled as I sat down, not looking at him, “I had mine not long ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah,” I had nothing else to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, the chosen partner by my father, a feisty red-haired woman,” he chucked a pebble in the river, “no bond was formed, she was slightly disappointed, but more so my father.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” I felt some sort of relief, I turned to him “how do you feel about it?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why do I feel relief?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am fine, I’d rather have someone else,” he turned to look at me, then stumbled on words, “uh, when, um, is yours?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A couple of months to go,” I returned to look at the gently flowing river, desiring to chuck boulders rather than pebbles in it, but that would ruin its beauty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we could meet after that and celebrate, whatever the outcome,” he suggested as he started chucking water spheres. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Show off.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I was about to answer when rustling close by on our side of the bank alerted me, someone from the camp was close by, so I ended up shoving him into the shelter of the willow, the leafy curtains reached the ground, only parting where we had just sat; it provided the best cover. I didn’t even check if he had landed well enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother,” ah, Izuna, “is this your little paradise?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes Izuna, I come here to meditate,” I could almost hear the chuckles coming from under the willow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, to bother you, I know you get irritated by having your moment disturbed,” he motioned as if to approach, but I jumped off the boulder instead, can’t risk him finding Hashirama. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I feel like I am hiding a lover. Wait. No. Bad comparison. Hiding the enemy is just as bad a comparison too</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened? Father calls?” I was already motioning him to go along back to the camp with me. He nodded. “Alright, I'll meditate after my ceremony then.” That was my answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One month to the ceremony and the time had come.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Madara,” my father beckons me into his tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes sir?” Ah, the talk of talks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you studied your material for the coming of age?” He motioned for me to sit across the table. I nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have found a pretty Uchiha girl, she might be compatible,” he went on. I was to be, possibly, bonded to a stranger, I sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember, just let your magic delicately flow onto your palm, and let it tangle with the other,” I still did not use words, and just nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Regardless of the outcome, it is alright, also she does not have to be your partner,” another nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In a given case you do not bond, you must be careful and not do this recklessly with just anyone,” another nod, much more pronounced than the one before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know how important bonds are, their magic can course through yours just as much as yours through theirs; so you must never bond with a demon,” now he looked like he was waiting for a verbal response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know and I understand, sir,” and jumped out before he could move onto the ‘mating’ part, the book was enough. I vowed to not worry about any of this, at least as long as I could push it back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One week to the ceremony and I met my potentially future intended.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was pretty, very nice-looking, but she had zero fighting skills, and that was exasperating to me. I was probably too used to being in battle. I was a bit frustrated, if she was to be my future partner, </span>
  <em>
    <span>she can’t even protect herself</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Maybe if she was as strong as Hashirama, </span>
  <em>
    <span>hmm, wait that seems like a weird standard too</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I let my frustration cloud my mind in the next battle. I must say I unjustly butchered some of the demons. Hacked to pieces. Yet I was a bit distracted too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The white noise invaded my ears after I carelessly did stupid things. The crack and crush of the earth beneath my feet, at least, alerted me to jump back. The vine sprouted from the crevices, and I had to jump even further back. Gathering magic, I blew out a fire dragon. The dragon undulated around me and then as commanded, it attacked the vine. The vine caught fire, but not really burning, I increased the intensity of the magic sent to the dragon, as I evaded and parried against the talons of a flying creature. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why is it not burning?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> I caught on the bird’s leg to pull it down, swiftly injuring its wings. It was like dancing between one danger and the other, and it now excited the savage burning desire to fight in me. I sent out the strongest dragon out, and at least that one was consuming the vine. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Forest God?</span>
  </em>
  <span> It seemed likely, </span>
  <em>
    <span>but where the hell was he?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>If I wasn’t already being stupid enough, a masked being came forward, though it seemed to stop then rush over. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why does it have a mask?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Green eyes stared at me for a moment, then it charged. This demon was a wolf creature, ears and dark brown tail, long claws, who knows about the fangs, it was using a stupid wolf mask. Not that stupid, he was using a sword, and damn was he fast, and strong. Strike after strike, I had to defend, until I managed some air magic to push him back. I somersaulted backward and gathered more magic for a powerful fire dragon, he, definitely <em>he</em>, could not be underestimated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked a bit taken aback to be blown back. His jade eyes sparked into a deeper green, and roots suddenly sprouted to counter the dragon. I had to send out three more because the damn thing wouldn’t burn. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Is this the Forest God?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Cutting the roots would be counterproductive because they’d still wriggle in attempt to murder, as I soon discovered, at least burning chopped pieces was easier. After battling the tangle of roots, the wolf masked man was gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I was about to jump back into the thick of the fighting. However multiple roots had sprouted out of the earth, akin to choking the very ground, quickly I understood, and gave signs to move back. Seconds later, booming explosions shattered the earth creating a pit, then gave way to needle-like roots, waiting for someone to fall, it pushed us back into retreat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I saw jade eyes stare at my own red from across the gap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the strategic tent, I learned that indeed the wolf masked man was the Forest God. Silently I wondered why he used a wolf mask, they only briefly mentioned that he started using a mask after gaining reputation and becoming the leader of their coalition. Also, he was apparently around my age. Now this means I am behind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dammit, I am only second in command still</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day of the ceremony was quite uneventful, except for the night. All of those who had their ceremony today gathered in the camp centre. Tables were laid out, decorated, and served with different meats hunted during the day, and vegetables received from the kingdom. Alcohol was laid out too, but father prohibited it to those who would undergo the ceremony. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes, this is an excuse for partying</span>
  </em>
  <span>. There was a little red tent on the centre, open on one side, covered in red veils, apparently to give some sense of privacy. After all, bearing one’s magic was baring part of one’s self, one’s soul, any audience would only see silhouettes. I was amongst the last to go through, those before if they bonded, they’d join hands when coming out, those who didn’t would bow to each other in respect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When I walked through the drapes, saying I was nervous was an overstatement, I was vexed; probably a little worried. She might be nice but I don’t really want her, I’d rather have... I let my thoughts come to a stop, as I stood in front of the selected victim, er, partner. I stretched out my hand, as she did, opening my palm. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ok, concentrate, gently, because you are too snappy right now</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Soft orange light emanated from my palm, whilst light yellow emanated from hers, then she placed it on top of mine. The strings of magic calmly raised and tangled, overlapped, probing each other for compatibility. It felt like the lakeside under the sun, I briefly wondered what she felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t last long, as a shocking spark was sent making both of our arms flinch away. Completely rejected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We walked out and bowed to each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the last of the participants went through, the banquet started. If it was like those I have heard before because I had never attended any, this was going to last for long, all night most likely. Izuna was standing around the roasted chicken and rice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother,” he called out, I jogged to him, food making my mouth water, “you good?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, the outcome was actually preferred,” I reached for a piece of chicken, and wolfed it down, Izuna just nodded in understanding. The night dragged on. Reaching close to midnight, a gentle breeze settled, and the drunken were louder, the firepits shone brighter, the food was still aplenty. Izuna yawned and walked back into his dwelling. I should too, but I had some meditating to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making my way around the food tables picking the best meats to take away. Chicken, boar, venison, pheasant; </span>
  <em>
    <span>a father is staring at me</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes sir?” I almost felt like I was caught red-handed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Son, I thought you were off to rest,” he eyed the plate, “more?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yes, I need to take this opportunity,” I kept going through the meats, setting them in a messy pile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am sorry the bond was not successful,” he seemed rather disappointed. Right, Hashirama said his father was also like that. I guess it is expected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is alright father,” I was planning on how to silently escape, I perused through the assorted vegetables, then added, “I’ll be careful, father.” He seemed to accept something, and bowed in dismission, walking away into a crowd of singers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, I can’t take any drinks</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I sneaked the plate away into my tent, prepared the meats in a little basket, and sealed in hot air to keep them tender and warm. Then I sneaked away to the river, making sure I was not followed, and there were no suspicious figures around. When I reached, Hashirama looked like he was meditating on top of our boulder, </span>
  <em>
    <span>when did it become ours?</span>
  </em>
  <span> The boulder by the willow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” I approached him; he was still unmoved as I made my way to seat beside him. I took the plate of meats out of the basket, at least that got a response, a slurp and a sniff. Then he returned to pretend to meditate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am leaving with the food,” I deadpanned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nooo,” he whined as he turned quickly towards me. His gaze lowered after meeting my eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Were you pretending to meditate?” I poked at his forehead as I presented the plate of meats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just pretending what you are supposed to be doing,” he snickered, right, meditation by the river, “also just reflecting on some things...” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What things?” I handed him wooden sticks to poke at the meat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just, things,” he didn’t want to be questioned, “oh, I brought this.” He leaned down and reached something from the ground beside the boulder, muscles flexing like a stretching cat. He presented a green glass bottle, wine. Oh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give,” I uncorked it, the cork was rather loose and at least a quarter of the bottle was gone, “were you drinking?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yes, whilst waiting,” then he looked around, and a little cloud formed again, “I forgot to bring glasses.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s no problem, eat,” I vaguely motioned at the meats, he nodded in thanks and picked on some boar, I took a gulp of the wine. Sweet, alcoholic acidity burst into my mouth; it was probably nicer than the stuff at the celebration. I might have moaned due to the delightful taste.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, congratulations?” Hashirama, mumbled, as he looked at me sipping away on wine until I finished half the bottle. A quarter was left. Did I want to get drunk? Yes, I wanted to just let go. I had felt too tense, too tired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For?” The wine would take a while to kick in. He motioned to the right side of his neck and continued munching on meat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh right, bonds usually left a mark, a combination between the two magics got tattooed onto the right side of the neck, close to the shoulder, “not happening,” I responded, taking a bite of a piece of pheasant. He looked at me and gave me half a smile. We could hear the crickets, the rushing water, and the far-away boisterous crowd of the celebration. He finished the other quarter of the bottle as I put away the basket and plate because heaven forbid if father finds things missing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then the alcohol kicked in, for both of us. My blurry mind registered some things, like the relaxing of my muscles, the mumbling slur of my words, and the random laughs of both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-I don’ wanna fight no more,” the man mumbled as he sprawled on top the boulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me ne-uh-ther, stop takin’over,” I hit his chest lightly, and he spilt a bubbly laughter out, </span>
  <em>
    <span>huh?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“M’dara, you away,” he shoo-ed me, the gall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hashi-ha, ugh,” I turned too fast, and everything spun, “Hashi, you, you shoo,” and I giggled, I do not giggle, sober Madara would not approve. Sober Madara was being forced out as there was a rustling from the opposite side of the river, I was about to, attempt, to do a battle stance or something, but I was tackled onto the ground within the willow. I scrunched up my eyes as pain surged from the back of my head, is this Hashirama’s revenge?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As I opened my eyes, I saw Hashirama’s face in front of me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ah, what?</span>
  </em>
  <span> My brain fizzed in shame. Hashirama motioned me to be quiet, someone seemed to be calling for his name. Nothing registered in my brain. Nothing other than the fact, that I was on my back, and he was in between my legs, his hands on the ground, on both sides near my head. Sober me was rapidly restarting my brain. In the meantime, I was at a loss, feeling weird, like my heart was going to jump out of my mouth. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What is this?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hashirama! Stop being an ass,” the voice was grumpy, Hashirama mouthed ‘Tobirama’ and all I could do was focus on his lips. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Brain, work!</span>
  </em>
  <span> The crunch of the pebbles near the bank was louder, I wriggled a bit, desperate to get away, not sure if from the situation I was currently in or from the approaching thing called Tobirama. He signaled me to stop moving and to keep quiet, then he closed his eyes whilst mumbling something. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why are you TOO CALM ABOUT THIS?!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, fine! FINE!” The grumpy voice shouted, and it got further away, muttering curses. Sober me was back, and started pushing the man on top of me away, I felt my face burning, my chest exploding, and probably my ears were wrong as I heard ragged breathing, coming from none other than me. Had I even been breathing until now? </span>
  <em>
    <span>AND WHY IS MY DICK SEMI HARD?! </span>
  </em>
  <span>I screamed into my head, to get my shit together, and run the fuck away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I no longer pushed Hashirama away, but rather shoved him the fuck off. Startled eyes stared at me, as I exited hastily. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Who am I kidding? I am running away</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I am not sure if I vaguely shouted at him, I had to go, or if I shouted that at myself. Once I arrived at the tent, my cock was at full attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I had masturbated before, but I call this a sin this time. I curled into a little ball, fisting and stroking my hardened cock. Then I moaned the name of my friend as I came onto some cloth, that was definitely there to be discarded. The sin. I proceeded to die on my bed, hoping to stifle on the pillow. Sleeping, dreaming, did not help my problem, absolutely not at all. My imagination was too wild, why am I picturing him? A loud scream could be heard from the back of my head, which was called sudden sexual awakening and utter frustration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Needless to say, my muscles were twice as tense, and the dark circles around my eyes increased because I would not accept these twisted desires for my best friend. Images of kissing, feelings of touch, and just replaying the innocent event had triggered it all, in a totally different way, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I am a pervert!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I busied myself with the battles and did not return to the river.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three months after, and I became accustomed to encountering the wolf masked man, he seemed unwilling to fight at first. I gave it my all. The thrill of having a real challenge was too much. He was the only that could be on par with my fighting skills, the itch I had gained to fight was finally being satisfied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Six months after, and I became leader, my father passed away at the camp, some of his wounds had festered and the medication was not sufficient. He was stubborn to deny transportation to the city. I would subconsciously blame the Forest God; he caused the wounds during one of our sparrs. Our encounters were becoming more violent, in a sense that entire areas of land would be morphed due to our fighting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One year after, and I was seventeen, I hadn’t approached the river, and wondered if Hashirama ever returned, if he felt abandoned, I was not particularly ready to see him, my feelings hadn’t come to an agreement, nor I came to a point of acceptance. The nightly delights, tortures, continued either way. I could be in denial for a very long time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two years later, and I was eighteen. Izuna was my second in command because I couldn’t trust anyone as much as I trusted him. The image of a certain tanned man always came to mind every time I thought that. I kept training and created my own spells, highly destructive just to go against the wolf masked man, who also seemed to keep improving. The fire dragons I made now were massive, twice my size. I could make it rain fire, they dubbed Hellfire, scorching an entire area to nothing. Then there was Black Flame, black flames that could not be extinguished until they ran out of magic or things to burn; the last of my creations and the most loyal to my desires.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then finally, I wounded the jade eyed man we called the Forest God.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I mean he grew up basically thinking of only murdering people.<br/>So I guess horniness was not really explored.</p><p>Hah, I cannot for the life of me write pervy stuff - but this is rated R?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Something was proposed and Madara is confused.</p><p>Time skips.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yeah, the plot just keeps rushing ahead of me at this point.</p><p>Apologies for the grammar.<br/>And may I add that there is juicy lemon to be found...<br/>Maybe not juicy, because I cannot write smut, at all, not even sober.<br/>Sober me would be a hundred times more embarrassed, but hey it still happened.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>I had never managed to scratch his damn sneaky self, he had always managed to land some scratch, either by sword or claw. I managed to pierce his left shoulder when he got distracted, though it still perplexed me how he got distracted. He had never shown anything but piercing sharp focus, maybe his mate had been hurt. I managed to land a punch too, cracking his mask. He jumped back, and sent a blasted barrage of vines and roots, all whipping around. They retreated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then my right leg failed me, ah, right, it was pierced through one of the damn roots before I managed to score. Izuna helped me up as we retired. Izuna had become bossy, at least with me, so apparently, I, the leader, was forbidden anywhere else other than the healing tent. Not like I could go running around, my right thigh had been stabbed through, and my leg had received major damage, but it would fully heal in 3 months or so.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Calm down Izuna, it will be fine,” the nurse said after my said brother paced around, I guess he was still on edge to the festering of our father’s wound. We had medication, and some healers with healing magic, it was all to promote fast healing. As long as I obeyed everything would proceed alright, I wondered how my favourite rival was doing with his own stab wound. Was his albino terror of a brother as edgy as this one? I had met the white fluff of a wolf at one point, he was spikey, pissy, and obviously his brother, because who else would shout at their leader “you fucking moron!” halfway across the battlefield.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Izuna paced, “Brother stop, you are making my head hurt,” I sighed as I motioned for him to sit the fuck down. He sighed, exasperated, and sat begrudgingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just worry, ok?” he crossed his arms and pouted. I also worried, the white terror was not in recovery, and the Senju had become more coordinated in their attacks along with the Inuzuka and the Aburame, we were killing packs of wolves, stampedes of deer, and swarms of bugs. At least, I hoped it had eased up as their Forest God was wounded, but the Blazing Dragon was out of it too. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ugh, stupid me</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you at least let me go out?” I suggested gingerly, the face was all it took to obtain an answer, ‘fuck no’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I lay uselessly for 3 months, until I was allowed out and about, but not to the battlefield, under the doctor’s strict orders, in order to regain my previously neck-breaking mobility. Fine. Izuna was behind this, probably. Then, after almost not being there for two years and a half, or something, I returned to the river.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sun was setting as I reached our usual spot, correction, my usual spot. Purples blending with blues, oranges, and reds. I came to a halt as I gazed at the broad back of the man sitting on the boulder by the willow. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He, he is here? Here, here?</span>
  </em>
  <span> I contemplated going back, but I must have been possessed. I approached and sat to his right side, trying to carefully curl into a ball, because of my leg and nothing more. He made no motion to acknowledge my existence, or anything, was he finally truly meditating and ignoring everything? Or just me? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Are you angry?</span>
  </em>
  <span> A part of me was saddened at the thought, though if anything it was all my fault for disappearing on him for two years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hashi?” I questioned without particularly thinking about the damn nickname, a product of drunkenness, and wasn’t that what I called him when I... I sighed trying to calm my mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hummed, nothing else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I must be possessed, because the next thing I do is lean my head on his shoulders and mumble an apology.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hummed again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I sat up and smacked his shoulder, “say something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thankfully it’s not my left,” did he just... growl?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Did you hurt your left shoulder?” I worried and tried to lean in to inspect it. He turned to look at me, which made me stop my musings. I sat facing him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I... Broke it whilst fighting,” his eyes seemed to almost glared at me. I almost whimpered, he was irate and bitter. I mumbled another apology. He just sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...” I started, what could I say when disappearing for so long, I missed him, I wasn’t going to consciously accept that though because I am stubborn. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What can I say? “Hey sorry for leaving you, I got horny and scared and ran away for two years, hello I am back, still horny and scared, please forgive me?” No, that spells disaster, and it is ridiculous. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I missed you,” didn’t I say I wasn’t going to consciously accept, no wait, he said it. He looked sad, the cloud threatening to definitely come pouring down on his head. He lowered his head, looking more devastated than his usual depressive moods, and it stung my heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, uh, too,” it sounded so insincere, but that at least he looked up, “You... Sorry... I...” I am at a loss of words, did I forget the language along the way, dropping most of the letters on my way here, why am I here? </span>
  <em>
    <span>You miss him, idiot. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I told myself, sighing I brought my forehead to my hands, propping it up, staring at my crossed legs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dara,” another damn nickname product of the same drunkenness, “I am not angry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lies,” I did not lookup. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to cry, laugh, or just be consumed by the earth</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dara,” </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop using that nickname</span>
  </em>
  <span>, “do you hate me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” my voice was small. I dared to peek, and I should not have, his face leaned towards me, his eyes sad, his little cloud was about to rain on top of him. I instinctively leaned back, slowly he did so too, and the cloud was drizzling. He turned to face the river, and so did I.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was awkward, I felt jumpy, he probably thought I disliked him. Completely the opposite.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I didn’t know what to say, at all. Hello, I like you. Hello, I am an idiot. Hello, you are handsome and I’ve done some unspeakable things with you in my head. Hello, I have come to propose a bond. Hello-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.” He answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>HE ANSWERED TO WHAT?</span>
  </em>
  <span> What did I say out loud, was I saying everything out loud?! I was about to just throw myself into the river and hoped to drown. Yet, there was no further movement or reply. </span>
  <em>
    <span>A belated response? I almost had my heart jump out.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I peered at him, he had closed his eyes again, the sun was setting, making the surroundings orange, and golden. Little fireflies started making their way around the other bank. I reached out to caress his cheek, and tuck a few strands of hairs behind his ear, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and what am I d-doing?</span>
  </em>
  <span> I quickly retrieved my hand and condemned it to stick to my lap, as I stared at the river pretending that I did not just do that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t stop,” my eyes widened and looked at him, he was gazing back at me. We turned to face each other, and slowly, insecurely, I raised my hand to cup his right cheek. He leaned onto my hand, as I gently caressed it with my thumb. His eyes were molten gold, shining amber with the setting sun. I felt like leaning in and capturing his lips in mine. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The light is making me imagine things, definitely.</span>
  </em>
  <span> A blush was definitely not creeping up my cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He closed his eyes, “Do you hate the demons?” That was unexpected. I retrieved my hand in thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I- not really,” it was true, it was just this stupid war, I was a demon myself, in a way, finding a certain thrill in all the bloodshed, “I wish we had peace.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Madara,” he said seriously, </span>
  <em>
    <span>did I say something wrong?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He sat up straight, kneeling now towards me, and extended his open palm facing up, “I propose a bond to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My brain stopped working. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>My mouth probably flopped about like a dying fish.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked expectantly, but eyes filled with fear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I took a deep breath, and he looked like he was about to retire his hand. Rejected. No, no. I sat up straight, kneeling towards him as best I could with my recuperating leg, and extended my open palm facing up. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I accept.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I couldn’t trust my mouth to utter a word, I hoped this was enough of a sign. If we bonded, I was going to be elated, if we didn’t, I was probably going to manifest my own little cloud, permanently following me. His eyes turned hopeful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was getting dark, the fireflies danced around us, and the magic flowed out easily this time. Soft orange flowed out of my right palm, swiftly creating the strings of magic, </span>
  <em>
    <span>too eager.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Pale green-blue flowed out of Hashirama’s open palm, calmly rising strings. I placed my hand on top of his, and the strings started to probe, and tangle, and I saw the deep green forest, felt water splashing on my skin, the freshness of a breeze. It felt so different to mine, but then it was like feeling the aliveness of the earth, the raging seas, turbulent winds, and storms, the very volcanoes erupting to life. The little strings climbed up my skin, and like a warm breath on my neck, they settled. I shivered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I could not but stare at the pale white symbol on Hashirama’s neck, glowing faintly. The little lines almost resembled a burning tree. I shivered again until warmth embraced me. I was surrounded by strong arms and a chin on my right shoulder. Flooded were my senses, happiness, joy, pure bliss, all of them coming as a wave crashing onto the shores of my heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Breathless, I hugged him back. However, in those waves of happiness, came little stones of worry. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why do you worry? I, oh, I love you.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I finally came to accept that my feelings for him were more than friendship. I wonder if he could feel it, just to make sure, I pushed him back, cupped his face in my hands, and leaned in to kiss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eyes fluttering close, lips smoothly pressing onto his, a chaste kiss. I wish I had this moment forever. But...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fear crushed. I was not sure if it was my own, or also Hashirama’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-” I started, but he pushed me away, “Go!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I only blinked for a second before turning and, half running half limping towards Izuna’s voice, I found him soon enough, too close to finding us. “Yes, Izuna, what happened?” I tried to compose myself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You disappeared from camp!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, forgive this brother of yours for disappearing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The camp was attacked, we must move,” he stated seriously, ah, right he is our stand-in whilst I recover. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The camp was attacked?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand, let us go,” shit, things are complicated, I wonder how I’ll see Hashi again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ugh, now I am even thinking with that nickname</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I probably blushed all our way to camp. I needed to think now about the important things, the war, protecting my clan, and the mages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The camp was resettled further away from the farmlands, and further into one of the forests on the far outskirts of the kingdom. Some of our allies’ camps had also been attacked simultaneously. The Senju leader must have eyes everywhere. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I missed Hashirama, being further away from the river meant I couldn’t visit as easily, a day’s journey away was too suspicious, I was drowned in paperwork, in the strategies, with battles, and I couldn’t have a way to tell him where I was. Then there was also Izuna freaking out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is that?!” He pointed almost accusingly to my mark, thankfully my robe and armour tended to block it from view, but Izuna tended to come and go from my tent sometimes whilst I was lounging. Subconsciously, I blocked it from view, one thought in mind: it was mine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I bonded,” I smiled, trying to appease him. Terrible idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With whom? When? How?” Izuna might be younger by three years, unbonded himself, but he was such a mother hen at times. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Brother, you would flip out if you really knew</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A man. Not long ago. You know how bonds are formed.” I responded calmly. My brother just gasped, and slammed his hands against my desk. I sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, fine, just... I must meet them! What if they end up being your life partner?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>That is my wish</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He seemed to calm a bit, later apologizing for overreacting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It never mattered if your life partner was a man or woman, particularly one whom you had a bond with. Bonds were usually respected, and only with explicit consent was there usually a different life partner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, hmmm, hope you meet him soon,” was all I answered, no matter if he had further inquiries.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My bond was not like the usual ones seen for others, whilst the others were like burnt skin, brown or orange, sometimes giving off a faint glow when they were close to each other. Mine was white, albeit paler than my ivory skin, I wonder if it was due to the bonding with a completely different kind of magic user, fire and water, I had guessed. I was still confused about the matter. I’d often touch the little flaming tree, as I kept on thinking it resembled, though Izuna had once said that the marks looked like a raining cloud; to give me some comfort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two weeks had passed since our hasty retreat and relocation. All I could feel was longing. I hadn’t been to the battlefield yet, but the doctor had deemed me fit to lead into battle tomorrow. It would take my mind off of him. All I could feel through the bond was loneliness, but once on the battlefield, it turned to fear, and a strong feeling to protect. Then once it started, it was desperation. Was Hashirama fighting too? Perhaps on some other front.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Forest God seemed to be evading the Blazing Fire of the Uchiha, basically ignoring me. This man, I knew he was not scared of me, that would be ridiculous, and yet every turn I made towards, he made away. It was infuriating to fight his distracting vines and roots, these now fought to stall me and push me further away, maybe his stab wound had not been fully healed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The battle was rather less thrilling as my real challenge kept escaping me, and so after a standstill, we retreated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three weeks after my bond, and I was panicking, and that was an understatement. I immediately consulted the book, stupid book. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Where are you hiding, book?! </span>
  </em>
  <span>I was having some problems that were generally attributed to womanly related problems. Why in the nine hells am I, a man, having them. I furiously flipped through the pages, almost ripping them. </span>
  <em>
    <span>There is nothing! </span>
  </em>
  <span>The </span>
  <span>book</span>
  <span> was none the wiser. I settled that a reasonable explanation was that I was going insane. Probably Hashirama was being drowned in a downpour of anxiety, and straight embarrassment. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Was I a demon? Was that the craziest explanation I could come up with? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Too many questions. I was panicking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Izuna came in, and I was the calmest and most collected person he’d ever seen. That is because my mind was full of constant screaming demanding answers, and straight out cussing. I am a stubborn person, and I deny to accept certain facts, even if thrown and smacked onto my face, I might come to accept them eventually in the far away future, which is sometimes just terribly stupid, </span>
  <em>
    <span>like denying my feelings, I am still an idiot for that</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We met at the strategic board. It was Izuna, the Chief Medic, the Chief Captain of Mages, and yours truly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to reunite with the Hyuuga,” Chief Captain said, after a long talk about fronts, “and we should return to the old site.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are insane,” Izuna added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I agree, they will be searching everywhere except where they have attacked already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need more supplies from the capital, this might last at least one more year, the emperor wants to put an end to it,” Chief Medic. </span>
  <em>
    <span>An end to it, yes.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peace Treaty is far from being even drafted, much less having us send an envoy,” Izuna stated, “we could still try, making them seem we are weakening, we must hide most of our troops.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I propose we reunite with some of the Hyuuga near the crossroads, most will return to this old camp here,” I pointed at one of the old allied camps, ‘and I will take some, both ours and their high-class mages to the old Uchiha camp to deal with the peace negotiations,” I added, “this might take a couple more battles, if it all comes down to the last man standing, we should be ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After more discussions on the details, and agreements, it was settled, we would set out a week after meeting the mages from the Hyuuga, then take the supplies and people carefully distributed. Supply routes had to be monitored and protected, having no affiliations, all banners in the new camps were to be removed, and a village sort of camouflage was to be implemented. Most of the reinforcements were to be established in the old ally camp, whilst the mage experts took the front lines from the Uchiha old camp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I had to discreetly deal with my odd problems, hoping this was not a monthly thing. My other speculation was that this was maybe due to my bonding with a demon, Hashirama was a demon? I needed to talk to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Four weeks after my bond, and I was panicking, not because of the bleeding, at least that had stopped just 4 days after it began, no. I was horny, and I knew certainly, that the ass I bonded to was too. I could barely breathe when the waves of lust and desire came tumbling, crashing, and heating up all my senses. Traveling the road to our old camp was excruciatingly painful. I had to hide a boner from everyone, whilst pretending everything was okay, like a walk to the lake. Have meetings, settle the structures, and then finally, finally, hide away in my tent to please my woes. How did I even manage? Only the heavens know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The battle was at least weeks away with some luck, if we didn’t get ambushed again. I was glad to stay away from everyone in my throes of ‘heat’ as I will call it because that is basically it. I told Izuna I was sick and to stay away. His worried face just made me feel guilty, but I put my foot down in prohibiting him from anywhere near my tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The heat that pooled on my stomach had started mild, barely there, I could deal with it by releasing at least once, then it got worse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I could barely keep quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was well into the night, the casual murmurs of the dining area, the ever so often scrape and the clash of the armorers working to sharpen the swords, or even the casual incantation and smell of charred wood and scorched ground. At least the busy nights helped drown my gasps, my soft moans, and the small ‘ahs’ that escaped my lips. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hashi.</span>
  </em>
  <span> More moans escaped; I was trying my best to keep them in. I was still so hard, and so wet. At some point, I stopped questioning how I was able to produce such a slick substance. Embarrassingly it aided in my quest to quench the burning fire I felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The squelch of liquid and skin was enough to make my cheeks burn as I explored, adventured into the unknown territories of my pleasure. One, and it felt invasive, strange, out of place. Two, and the pressure was sweet. I tried angling, stroking, jabbing, anything to appease the burning desire deep in me. Until I found a delectable bundle of nerves that sent me to paradise, in bursts of white-hot searing desire. Three, and it was too much. It had me spilling obscenities under my breath, thinking, wishing my fingers where his. Everything felt too wet, too slippery, whether it was from my fluttering desire or my hot manhood. I was lost in my desires.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I could barely keep quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I tried to cool my nights with chilling water. It was partially successful. However, something had been lit within my being. I wanted him, no, needed him. It stoked the embers into a raging fire, one only he could extinguish, only he could satisfy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I could barely keep quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I wondered, every time I took my fingers for his; my caresses for his. Was he still waiting by the river? Was he feeling this heat within? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course, he is, </span>
  </em>
  <span>rang a voice in my head, it sounded like mine, </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t you feel the bond?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Of course, I could. That was what made it even more difficult to go through the night. He desired me, I felt it to my very core. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I could not keep quiet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It might have been a fleeting thought, a wishful desire, but my feet were moving on their own. Possessed, entranced, by he who beckoned me to the river. At least I had half a mind to evade the Hyuuga patrols and to be quiet as a thief to the night. It was almost the fifth week after my bond. I was indeed haunted by a demon, the devil that smiled at me with golden-brown eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fireflies danced in the crisp night, creating patterns of light amongst the rocks and reeds of the riverbank. My haven, our blissful heaven. When I came to, I saw him trying to catch the lighting bugs. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Are you really eighteen? </span>
  </em>
  <span>I smirked. Probably out loud as it caused him to stop, and stare at me. Waves of pure joy, anticipation, want, tumbled onto my heart, washing away any other feeling. I might have run into the open arms that waited for me, caught me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dara, you are back,” I could hear him whisper from above, as he held me tight in his embrace. Somehow, some part of me felt at ease being in his arms. Another part of me, the proud one, berated me from being, thinking, about feeling such a thing. I ignored it, when I was with him, I could ignore the prideful Uchiha part of me, the one that had been instilled and hammered into my brain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hashirama, Hashi, I... I,” the words were stuck in my throat, hanging at the tip of my tongue. What could I tell him? My mind was clouded, hazed over by a thick fog of craving want. The whole ordeal seemed out of this world. The stupid book never gave me an answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I could feel the warmth course through the bond, it raided my senses, from my neck, tingling, crawling to the tip of my fingers, the tip of my toes. I tilted my neck to the left, exposing the soft flesh where the bond mark was. I might have imagined it, but his breath hitched, his hands trembled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His kisses came like butterflies, soft, and tender. They started on my forehead, fluttering gently towards my cheeks, my neck. Then he found his way to that tender spot, he showed no mercy. Butterflies became fangs; he bit, claiming, marking. I could only gasp, breath taken away by the attack to the fragile piece of skin I had willingly exposed to him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Make me yours.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It was unspoken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A groan and mewl slipped past my lips. “Please,” I said under my breath, begged. I never beg. He straightened his back and brought his hands to cup my cheeks. They were probably dusted in pinks and reds by how cool his hands felt against my searing skin. His eyes bore into mine. The light of the fireflies created small shuddering embers in two deep pools of black, barely any brown gold was left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soft lips met mine, at first, tender, barely a sigh. Then firm, demanding, I briefly parted mine in a gasp. He savoured it, using the opportunity to deepen the kiss. His tongue fought for dominance, fought to explore, demanded to. I let him. My moans and sobs all muffled by his lips. “More,” I demanded as he let my lips go, perhaps only due to lack of air. I am sure I was panting, a string of saliva joining our parted lips. His pupils dilated more, and he dragged me under the shelter of the willow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The curtains of the weeping willow were palely illuminated by little jars filled with fireflies. “For you,” he stated as I stared in amazement, mesmerized at the scene. The little jars littered the leafy curtains and the canopy, all containing little flashing insects that seemed to float lazily in the jars, willingly, as they weren’t closed off. The ground had a mess of branches and twigs all connected and sowed in intricately to form a nest-like structure. Inside a weaved, red and brown blanket was extended across the ‘nest’s’ bottom. Not sure how we ended on top of said blanket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pushed down, slowly undressing me, robes and under robes falling open. Hands tenderly carving their touch onto my skin, until they landed on my nipples. A pinch to the left one had me shivering, whimpering. Mouth slowly marking, open-mouthed kisses, possessive bites down my neck, my shoulder, my chest. He seemed entranced by the soft glowing mark; his teeth made sure to turn the skin around it raw. “Hashi, please... ah,” I needed more. He swallowed thickly as his hands made their way unhurriedly to my stomach, then even slower to the hem of my pants. His lips were now fixed into making my nipples perky, and swollen by his nibbling. I tried to hold onto the soft blanket beneath for purchase. Tried to keep my needy wails in check; all in vain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I could feel the mysterious slick slowly staining my inner thighs, as he pulled my pants away, discarded nonchalantly. My legs quivered, and pressed together in shyness, I felt vulnerable. “Ah,” I gasped out as he separated my legs gently, just to settle between them. Fiery eyes stared at me as he opened his mouth, to lick his lips, and take my- “Ah!” I could not breathe. His mouth was warm, hot, and moist around my length; tracing his tongue from base to tip. More of that slick flowed out of me, and it seemed to encourage him to take my length more greedily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are so wet,” he exhaled as he let go of my cock with a pop. Eyes never leaving mine. I clenched onto the sheet harder as his tongue made his way to the source of said slick. “Hn,” I hummed as his tongue licked away at the sticky fluids. I should be embarrassed, but my body just curved into it. His finger soon accompanied his tongue, circling the ring of muscles that seemed to quiver and flutter excitedly at the attention. Then two fingers breached in, and I screamed. The pressure was different from all the times I spent imagining my fingers as his. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I need more.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I craved, as my toes curled to the delicious discovery. The scissoring motions seemed to subdue my tense muscles, conquering them, then the electrifying bundle of nerves was brushed, tearing away from me another delirious howl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hashirama, please, I need you,” I exclaimed, as I covered my face with my arms. I couldn’t stand it anymore, the building warm coil in my stomach demanded him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fill me up.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It blared into my brains. Shyly, I opened up my legs more, inviting him to take all he could. I heard the rustle of falling clothes, and I dared to look through the cracks between my arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I suddenly sat up, and he was taken aback. He flinched, and a wave of uncertainty and fear suddenly invaded me through the bond. Hashirama was indeed a demon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brown ears, and fluffy tail, and most obviously the twisting black horns on his head. His eyes looked panicked; his ears flattened against his head. The tan muscles that were once hidden by his robes were tense, his tail landed wrapped around his leg. “Hashirama,” I said softly, I still wanted all of him, demon or not, because he was my Hashirama. I extended my arms and pulled him down with me, kissing him, reassuring him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I want you.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Waves of happiness drowned me. His hard-on poked my entrance, separated only by the thin layer of cloth of his pants. The offending thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hashirama,” I said as I stared at his brown eyes, “make love to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seemed to trigger something in him, like letting go of all of his control. He snarled, as he took my lips again, and my breath. A very bare cock now pressed against my entrance, and I just needed him in me. I mewled, probably cried as the bulging head pushed its way through the rim of muscles. “Fuck,” he gasped under his breath. I- I- I can’t breathe. The pain was too much, the muscles on my legs taught, and my feet felt cold. I tried to breathe in, slowly, but my nerves were wrecking me. He could sense it. He peppered my face with kisses, and started rubbing my waist with his thumbs as he grasped onto it, almost bruising it; perhaps to stop himself from sinking in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a while, I tried to get accustomed to the stretch and just nodded. He pushed in further, more, and more, and I was full, too full. I was probably ripping the sheet with how tight I held onto it. He stopped once he was balls deep, panting, waiting. I tried to relax, but this man was too big, he was splitting me open, and is that-? I may have also lost the ability to breathe like a normal human being. “M-move,” I breathed out. He grasped onto my hips harder, claws pressing onto my skin. His heavy cock dragged against my walls as he pulled out, and then snapped back in. We both moaned. I could feel that bulge at the base of his length right against my rim.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He picked up the pace. Snapping his hips, muttering my name. I could only scream his. Back arching as his thick member dragged against the sensitive bundle of nerves, I was seeing the very stars sear my vision white. “There, yes, ahn, yes,” I panted. He directed his next thrusts just to that spot. The coil in my stomach tightened more, I was close, I tried to reach a hand to my weeping shaft. He growled, batting my hand away. I whined. He thrust harder, faster, rhythm slowly becoming erratic. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>will make you come,” he breathed into my ear, in an almost feral way. That was my undoing. I spilt onto my stomach, ribbons of white decorating my skin, crying his name over my orgasm. My back arched impossibly, muscles all tensing in a delirious high. “Shit,” he snarled, my walls were tightening around him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fill me up.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span> “I can’t, I can’t,” he mumbled like a mantra, as he pulled out and painted my stomach pearly white. He groaned deeply. He gazed at me as he tried not to squeeze me with his weight, instead of rolling over to my side. A part of me complained, albeit inwardly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I need more of you.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I felt empty. He crawled to nibble on my bond mark, sharp canines now breaching skin. It should have hurt, but the tingling coursing through my body welcomed it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mark me.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Said the voice in my head. I mewled softly. He licked the raw skin, soothing it, and mumbled, “I’ll fill you next time.” I shivered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My vision went dark, tired muscles went soft, but my smile stayed bright. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>10131: You know you suck at smut...<br/>Also 10131: But you like to write it anyways.</p><p>It gets done, and you all get to suffer with me ^^</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Discoveries are made, and some angst occurs.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The chapter names, the chapter names.<br/>0~0</p><p>Apologies for grammar, and my overall self, I am a very anxious person &gt;-&lt;<br/>Also, you will notice I apologize too much, roll with it, just roll...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>I woke up with a start. I was still in the carefully woven nest, red and brown sheet creased here and there. I felt my face heat up. Right. I was bonded to a demon; I MATED A DEMON. My father would murder me and die all over again if he were alive. I sighed. Hashirama was not beside me. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He must’ve cleaned after I passed out.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought, there was no stickiness of sweat or any other bodily fluids.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I swiftly dressed up, I needed to make haste back to camp. Izuna would be ripping his hairs out if he found me gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hashirama you are an idiot,” a high-pitched voice yelled, I stopped myself from parting the leafy curtains of the willow. I crawled to hide behind the boulder that created a sort of window, parting the leafy curtains, overviewing the river.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The owner of said high pitched voice was at the other bank, accompanied by said man. The woman had a warrior’s attire, her dark brown hair was tied in an elaborate top-knot, with a long bang covering the left side of her face, her brown ears were flat against her head in an annoyed expression. Her brown tail with a white tip swished angrily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cousin, shut up,” Hashirama mimicked her own animal expressions, crossing his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you mated a mage, an Uchiha!” Oh, oh! How embarrassing that she knows off the bat, can they smell it? Being half wolves and what not... My face turned hotter if possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tōka, shut up,” he snarled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are a Senju for fucks sake, you were supposed to marry the Uzumaki woman,” she huffed, and I could no longer hear anything. He is a Senju. He was in an apparently arranged marriage to another powerful demon clan, the foxes that controlled fox fires, much less powerful than our own, but- but...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was raining under the willow’s canopy. What other explanation for my blurring vision and the wetness of my cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you to shut the fuck up,” he had snapped angrily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are going to have to tell your brother why you sent in the acceptance not a few days ago, and then send a rejection today,” she huffed again, hands rubbing her temples. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He agreed to marry her.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Shit, the voice inside my head bawled. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You were used?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...” he seemed to realize his predicament. I realized I had to run away. Thankfully, his cousin huffed and walked away repeating, “you are an idiot.” Not thankfully, this made said asshole approach the willow, I wanted to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dara, you, you were awake?” he seemed to realize, trying to reach a hand to me. I batted it away. He must have felt the anger, the sadness; my heart is breaking Hashi.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senju, congratulations on your marriage,” my voice seethed with rage, my eyes stung still even after trying to wipe the tears away. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Get away.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Waves of guilt flooded me, drowned me. I tried to escape again towards the camp, away from the feelings that were threatening to burst.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Madara, wait,” he tried to catch my wrist, and I burnt his skin with my magic. The bond hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Senju, I won’t be used anymore,” </span>
  <em>
    <span>let me leave, before I say something else.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“You got it wrong, I,” he paused, “I only accepted because I thought I couldn’t be with you, I was stupid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Couldn’t be with me? You </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>I was an Uchiha.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Before I say something else.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I,” he seemed to hurt more with every word, “Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You used me, how long have you known?!,” </span>
  <em>
    <span>before I say something.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I never, Madara please,” he cried, still trying to get closer, I inched back into the forest leading to the camp. My eyes stung more, tears threatening to escape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long?! Was it fun to play with me?!” </span>
  <em>
    <span>I want you so much.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Madara, I was, what I feel for you is true, I never used you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Liar! How else would they know to attack the camp,” </span>
  <em>
    <span>before I say...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did not know they would attack the camp,” then he widened his eyes as if he had said something that was never meant to be said.</span>
</p><p><span>“You </span><em><span>did </span></em><span>use</span> <span>me,” </span><em><span>before I.</span></em></p><p>
  <span>“Madara please, I love you,” he was almost kneeling, tears staining his cheeks, and I almost gave in, because I loved him too. I had come to love the boy I met by the river, the man that had become my friend. But my heart was already breaking so much. So, so much. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Before...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I fucking hate you!” My anger escaped me, magic escaping my hands in the form of my little fire dragons. I ran. How I got to my tent, I did not know. I wasn’t sure if I managed to evade being seen, I did not care. My chest hurt. The only image in my head was his face, his eyes, losing all shine when I said those words. Those words were not true.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I touched the place where my bond was, and I cried, I was drowning in our sorrows. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It is better this way, he should marry his own, and</span>
  </em>
  <span>- I kept lying to myself, convincing myself. I toughened my heart or at least the mask I was to wear to the meeting. Because after all, I had to keep going.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Izuna was worried. That was an understatement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one could notice my brother’s desperation to comfort me. Of course, he knew something was wrong, I was wearing a silk bandage around my neck, covering the bond. My eyes were likely hollow. His constant worried glances were aggravating me. No one else seemed to notice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The peace treaty has been drafted, his majesty will go over it and send it as soon as possible,” someone said. I was not really here at the moment.</span>
  <em>
    <span> I told him I hated him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“However, the battle,” something, somewhere. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Then I attacked him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Madara will lead the mages from this end, and the Commander from the Hyuuga will lead from the other end,” I nodded almost subconsciously. Then somewhat the meeting had concluded. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You should have never trusted the boy by the river.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother,” Izuna’s worried face popped into my tent as I made my way to sit by the desk filled with papers to be revised, “what happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am fine,” I lied, uselessly, because I know my brother, and my brother knows me. He crossed his arms. His eyes spoke for him, ‘you are not fine.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I,” I sighed, “I might have made a mistake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smiled at him, “I fell in love with someone I should not have.” He looked saddened but didn’t pressure for more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I had taken to going through all the paperwork as a distraction, I ignored the feelings that washed over my soul. The bond was demanding me to return to him. I wondered if I would find him on the battlefield, had I injured him before amidst the fray.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I had half a mind to visit the river again, maybe he was there. Maybe everything was a misunderstanding. A little flower grew from the corner of my desk. Senju, right, plants they could control them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Are you telling me you are sorry?” I was now speaking to the little bloom. It was a faded and tender purple; the bloom was turning into a tiny spikelet of them. It almost looked like a hyacinth. I sighed and tried to get back to the paperwork.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet, how could I? There were more purple flowers growing from the same corner of the desk, a vine now twisting and winding between the different blooms, making intricate patterns in swirls. From the open tent flap, butterflies were coming in. A pair of them, one a bright red one, with black markings; one green one with brown wood patterns. They danced, fluttering in intricate patterns, soaring and diving. Swerving and swirling together in the air, and gently landing on top of an extended vine tip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hashi,” I whispered. The butterflies flapped their dainty wings in unison. I guess that is a yes?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t hate you,” the green butterfly fluttered around the blooms for a while before perching back beside the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I can’t be with you,” the green butterfly flapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should be with your own,” I was now conversing with butterflies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, I understand that we cannot be together and that you have to marry someone,” fluttering green and red went around my head before perching back on the same spot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The royalty is making ridiculous demands for the peace treaty, I am sure you heard they were making one,” I extended a finger to see if they would flutter to me, the green one did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They want the Forest God dead; do you know him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red butterfly fluttered out of the tent, and the green one followed after circling around my head. The warmth of the bond extended through me, and I could feel him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Enveloped in it, cradled in it, drips of love, waves of adoration, and a pinch of something akin to acceptance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Half the desk was now littered with flowering blooms, it started with the purple spikelets; then pink little buds like camellias; red frills like carnations; blue violets; and a single white chrysanthemum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Izuna lost it, a bit, when he saw the blooming desk, I swore him to silence, not that he’d ever say anything. More like to not comment on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The news came about the alliance of the Uzumaki and the Senju.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah,” was my comment at the meeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The peace treaty had arrived, indeed with the ridiculous demand that once the Forest God was dead, peace talks would occur. Arguments were that he was too powerful. Described as too savage and animalistic that no discussions could ever go through, I would beg to differ. I fought the man and he had my respect as an enemy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you marry her?” I asked the blooms once I got back to my tent. I had taken to talking to them, they didn’t seem to need water or sunlight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I indulged them with little drops of water, and fire as a light source every now and then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Obviously, the blooms never answered, none grew more, none withered either. The butterflies never came back either. I felt crawling sorrow, deep in the pits of my being. Would he be happier with her?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I pushed away from the thoughts. The bond was relatively silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fighting would break out tomorrow, what with the Uzumaki now moving in the battlefront. The Hyuuga sent for the Sarutobi.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fighting came too soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The break of dawn saw the clashing of claws against steel. With the Hyuuga controlling air magic, and the Sarutobi who controlled earth magic, we managed to push them back some. That was until more came in, the Uzumaki alliance. The Forest God was leading them, and I thought, maybe if I stopped him. So, I lunged to get to him, yet he again escaped me, unwilling to fight me. Yet they say he is a savage who can’t be reasoned with. The peace treaty had already been sent to him. I pondered his reaction, his jade eyes always seemed focused when we fought, what expressions would they show?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eerie howls can from the foxes joining the battle, were they all redheads? Fox fires burst into flurries pushing back, unaffected by the air magics. I called upon a fire dragon, writhing with life, it attacked the foxes. The smell of burning flesh was not new to me, it always stirred that dark alter ego in me. The bloodlust one, the cold and murderous one. The thought of brown fiery eyes, and a blinding smile snapped me out of it. Would I burn him too?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I jumped into the fray again, sending out more fire dragons. Bringing forth Hellfire to a swarm of insects. Jumping towards my goal, the Forest God. He seemed to fight with ease, the Hyuuga Commander was barely a match for him, sparring with sword and claw. Calling forth roots and vines, sharp like knives, angry little plants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He seemed to keep an eye on me, for as I approached, he would swerve out of sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I was battling my way across the barrage of whipping roots, cutting, burning, until a deafening cry rang my ears. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Izuna!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I desperately tried to locate him, he was currently fighting the damn albino, and it had him pinned between two walls of needle-sharp vines. He was heavily wounded, left arm rendered useless. Right leg pierced at multiple spots by those vines. The gash on his side heavily bleeding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> I jumped at him. Mustering masses of magic to send out two large dragons to burn a pathway for Izuna, my flames would never hurt him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Blazing Fire,” the albino spit fury.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Asshole,” I spit wrath back at him, he had tried to kill Izuna. He sneered and lunged at me; he also had a steel sword. Sword against sword rang, and claws clinked at times. His magicked roots were sharper than the Forest God’s, but were easier to burn. I rained Hellfire down on them. A slashed across his arm and he yelped, the ringing of metal kept me going, the trance was back, the warped personality I had developed for war, was deliriously thrilled. Another jab and he managed to land a scratch to my shoulder, I managed to pierce his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck,” he cursed, “what did </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> see in </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That riled me up, anger seething through my pores. My warped self demanded blood, so I aimed to kill at better-calculated strikes. Clink, and his sword was lost. Slash, and his chest was wounded. He fell to his knee, but my strike never landed on his head. Rather an entire tree jutted me off to the side. Right, the Forest God came to save his brother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wolf masked man with jade green eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I sent out a fire dragon, he would not escape. I caught him off from helping his brother, the resilient white bastard would survive. He stared at me, and his eyes flashed with sadness, and my heart drowned with it too. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I paced forwards, swords clashing. His eyes seemed to turn dull, even when surrounded by the dancing flames from the fire dragon. “Fight me!” I demanded, the bloodlust creature in me loved to fight this man, it was a challenge we welcomed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My sword came to strike again, he barely blocked it. Then seemingly decided, pushed back. A wave of roots making me lose my footing. He paced back, towards the edge circled by the fire dragon. The tip of his sword pointed down; his stance was relaxed. It angered the bloodlust in me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fight me properly!” I lunged at him, but he dropped his sword. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What?!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I pierced his gut, my sword running through his body, blood spattering onto the ground. </span>
  <em>
    <span>WHAT?!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I came to my senses, bloodlust frenzy gone, as I felt the warmth of his blood, and of the bond. Pale white coming from him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I took half a step back, letting my sword go. He clutched on the edges of the gaping wound and pulled out the sword.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He fell to his knees, bloody hand trembling to reach out to me. </span>
  <em>
    <span>NO.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I fell to my knees in front of him, gone was the fire dragon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I wrenched the mask of his face, jade eyes slowly turning brown. He smiled at me, blood-smeared hand weakly extending to caress my cheek. </span>
  <em>
    <span>NO!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I looked blurrily to my own trembling hands. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why would you do this?! </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it stops the war,” it was barely a whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you- you- idiot,” I cried, I wailed, and the entirety of the battle seemed to stop. I could hear nothing more than the blood rushing through my ears. I could feel nothing more than hot tears falling onto my palms. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lies. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I could feel the pain, and fading of the bond. His smile wavered as more blood pooled around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, you moron,” I couldn’t move, his weak caresses came to stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” he breathed out, and the hand fell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, no, no,” I grabbed onto it, trying to keep it warm, “you moron, I love you.” Trying to cling somehow onto the slowly withering life in him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t leave me.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no answer, the bond was fading, and my very soul was shattering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hashirama!” I yelled at the top of my lungs, magic surging.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unconsciously I had called forth the terror I dared not use; it would eat away everything until I told it to stop. Even then, it would finish its meal first before heeding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My loyal black fire. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything went numb after that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Were there any screams, agonizing to the black flames? I wasn’t sure. At least I knew for certain, they would not hurt Izuna, they would never hurt Hashirama. My Ha-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I was vaguely aware of someone pulling me up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone shouting at me to let go, but I held onto his hand, it was still warm.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The chapters are shorter, my chapters are usually 1k to 2k because its like mini type sessions.</p><p>Random Tōka comes with exposition drama, plot.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Madara wakes up from his magical outburst induced coma.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yay?<br/>Yeah, this particular fic was not meant to be angsty, though I like me a cup of angst with a pinch of misunderstanding.<br/>Which is not good for me, but I am an M when it comes to reading and writing.</p><p>Apologies for grammar.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>I somehow came to be aware, again. Perhaps it was the lack of a warm palm. held between my own. Tears flowed freely. Unblinking eyes, blurry. I let my hands wander the surroundings, searching his warmth, clinging stubbornly onto a sliver hope. Hoping I did not just kill the man I loved whilst in my frenzied state. Tears flowed more, throat clenching in a knife-like-sore, as I realized by the edges of the bed. I was alone and in the medical tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then I realized I was not alone, hopes that the rustlings heard were him, were crushed by the soft whisper, “Brother?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izuna,” I turned my head to the source of the sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother!” He cried, tears, I believe, as I couldn’t see through the blur of my own. He had come to kneel next to my head, hugging it between his arms. One arm was bandaged. I suddenly felt my headache.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izuna,” I repeated. That seemed to make him flinch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother, say something else, please, please,” he wailed some more. Has this been going on for long?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izuna,” I said, word rasping against my throat. This only aggravated him into more frustration. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How long?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, not this, please,” he held my head tighter, “you’ve been unresponsive for a week, please, say something else than my name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izuna,” I tried to come up with words, but they seemed to escape me. Had I been just responding the same over and over? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Brother, I feel numb.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” he whimpered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izuna,” I tried, to tame my thoughts, my emotions, my- “he is gone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother?” he lifted himself from me, and looked at me with glassed over eyes, the blurriness from my vision was gone, perhaps I ran out of tears to cry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-where, where is he?” Disoriented, I tried to turn, or move, anything. My body was being very uncooperative.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is asleep, brother,” a little tiny wisp of hope ignited in me. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He is not gone?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is he?” I inquired again, I needed to see him, I needed to feel him, to know that he was alive. To know that I was not dead already, for if he was gone so was I. I tried to feel the bond, weakly my hand came to rest where I knew the pale white symbol was to be. It hummed with warmth, barely a little breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Izuna grabbed onto my hand, and laid it on top of my stomach, “he is asleep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izuna,” I said again, not moving, how could I, when I still felt so heavy. My eyelids were closing again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take you to see him once you get better, brother, you used all your stored magic,” he caressed my head into lulling strokes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, I blasted it all out, no wonder.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I weakly nodded, I hope he noticed. Then, I embraced the darkness once more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Using too much magic was like wasting away body and soul, saying that I used it all, which means I was ready to essentially self-destruct. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seems about right</span>
  </em>
  <span>. My dreams took me to him, his smile, his caresses, he meant so much to me in all these years. At least I didn’t kill him, at least he is still alive, at least. He probably despised me, that evil being in me I learnt to love, twisted by the smoke and cries of war. Murdered his family. Almost murdering him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I hate myself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Will he even want to see me? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Dwelling in my feelings and thoughts, I gave myself into numbness. It was cold, but it welcomed me. I tried to focus on restoring my magic. Creating the blazing flames from cold ashes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not sure how long it passed, but I opened my eyes again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Restoring magic was not easy, it meant dwelling within your soul, meditating and carving out your core existence again. It was something that everyone knew how, but actually doing it was complicated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I blinked a couple of times before sitting up, I hadn’t used my eyes for a while, they stung with the dim light entering the tent. My body still felt heavy, as if ran over by a stampede, then thrown into the river. I could move my limbs now, that’s something. Almost unconsciously, I brought up my hand to the bond mark. It hummed with a breath of warmth, steadier, yet quiet. My eyes grew a little blurry, but I forced the rains to stop, I would not allow them to keep falling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I stared at my hands, for a while. I was lost in thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I need to deal with many things, the peace treaty, coming to a truce, the talks, everything. Was Izuna a stand in for now, dealing with the idiotic white ball of spikes? Over wobbly, unstable legs, I managed to stand. Almost crawling to the water bucket to wash my face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Numb.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother? Why are you up?” Came the calm yet concerned voice from the tent’s entrance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to know...” My voice was hoarse due to lack of use; my throat, a bed of needles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will fill you in, just go back to rest,” he tried to coax my body away from the water bucket, the water was washing away everything so I clung onto it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I shook my head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take you to your tent then,” he resigned. I nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The journey to my tent was slow, with some stares. I disregarded them all, but tried to rely more on my legs than on my brother’s shoulder. I sat, slumped, on my bedding; and started to position myself to meditate, gain the flow of my magic back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is he?” I demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is asleep,” Izuna stated just as before, I felt there was more to it, “I’ll take you after I update you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been two weeks since the battle and the incident. Seeing as the battlefield had been quickly consumed in angry black flames, everyone fled. Izuna was the only one who could approach my fallen figure and had brought me back to camp after prying me off his hands, or well, prying him off of mine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The royal family had accepted the new draft made by Izuna and our allies, which was to make a truce with the demons; to which Tobirama had agreed, surprisingly. They were to live peacefully in a village hidden amongst leaves between the far valleys. Some of the Hyuuga and Sarutobi had agreed to live with them. Hashirama’s dream come true of a village were humans and demons could live together. The condition was that I was to supervise it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nodded, then Izuna added he was coming with, the Uchiha forces, particularly the mages, were to move in. Tobirama was not happy but only grumbled to that statement at the meeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about Hashirama?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My brother had gone back for him, even then angry flames, and twisting vines protected him. Between him and Tobirama, they brought him to the willow by the river.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why there?” It seemed odd to take him there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tobirama said that was a place he felt safest, that nature would heal him,” Izuna scratched his head looking slightly confused, “something about his magic being in tune with the life in plants, or something related to yours too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I suddenly stood with regained strength, at least a little, and walked to my chest to select clean clothes. After quickly changing, “I’ll go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One more thing,” Izuna added as I was a step away from my tent’s entrance, “we move in two weeks.” He let out a sigh, and seemed relieved? After all the war between us and them was over. I nodded once and left. The eyes were still staring, and the murmurs trickled like water among rocks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Madara Uchiha bonded a demon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not only a demon, a Senju at that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He tried to kill him, tried to kill his bonded.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think they’ve mated?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, you calling for death, have manners.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Madara Uchiha is like a demon himself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I stopped walking, which seemed to hush the trickling of endless whispers, “I am well aware.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I kept walking, following the murmurs of trees and the wind. My sure steps were slowly growing unstable, trembling, wobbly, my whole body seemed jerky as I reached the long thick curtains of the weeping willow. I stretched out a hand to part the fronds but quickly took it back. What to do, what to say, is he awake? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Does he want to see me?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Madara?” Came a weak voice from the other side of the curtain of leaves. I all but threw them open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the nest-like bed, fronds from the willow were outstretched and surrounding his body. Softly emitting a green-blue glow, pouring strings of white magic into his wound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am sorry,” I whispered so softly, as my legs gave way and I slumped against the ground onto my knees. I grabbed the sides of my head, they suddenly hurt so much, my sight was going blurry, so I opted to curl up against the ground, forehead grinding against the ground. Suddenly, my alter ego, somehow was telling me to finish the job. His wound was still open. I screamed, chanting ‘I am sorry’ over and over. The bond was searing hot, and for once, in so many days of silence, waves of desperation crashed against my soul.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What made everything come to a halt was the wrapping fronds on my waist and chest, forcing me to kneel up straight. To stare at the green eyes, that slowly turned brown again. I immediately looked down, the blurriness was gone but my eyes stung, how many times must I cry for this man? A little frond came to caress my cheek and force me to look at the green eyes again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, don’t,” the man’s eyes turned brown as the frond fell back into its natural plant self, “don’t cry, come sit with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I shook my head, I almost killed you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that was my fault, I was being stupid,” he looked at me with sadness, I felt that sadness crash in my heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I scooted over closer to the nest-like structure, close enough to be at arm’s length, but far enough to not be right next to him. “I am sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hashirama sighed, “I said it was my fault, I should have told you,” he sighed again after I stayed quiet, “I just loved fighting you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How so?” I wondered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You had a passion, you seemed to love the challenge, I did too,” he smiled, and tried to lift his arm but quickly placed it back on his side. I entered the nest area and held onto his right hand whilst facing him. The bond was still searing my skin, I could see he was glowing in the pale white.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even after that, you trust me?” I questioned; the bond was telling me to do something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, my love,” he smiled wider and squeezed my hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I let the flow of magic come out from my other hand, soft orange and white strings floated about, obviously attracted to where the fronds were curing his wound. He looked wide-eyed. I approached until I was a breath away, the strings of magic connected to the ones from the fronds. He flinched. Slowly, surely, the wound was closing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I wasn’t sure how long had passed, I was too concentrated into letting my magic flow slowly out, little strands that probed and twisted with the others to heal. A sheen of sweat was clinging to my forehead, but the bond now seemed cool, satisfied with me doing what it had requested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I smiled at him once it was done, he smiled back. Bringing the hand that was holding onto his to kiss it. Then using the other to caress my cheeks. I could probably combust by how warm my cheeks felt in comparison to his cool skin. He brought me closer and kissed my lips, softly, so tender as if caressing a flower. I pulled away for a breath, but his hand found the back of my neck and demanded a deeper kiss. His tongue licking for permission, I gave it; he explored my mouth with it. He growled as he let go of air. I gulped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-we-we need to regain s-strength,” I nervously stumbled on my words, because the eyes that were looking at me could devour me. He snarled, “fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I moved away to a safe distance to sit by the boulder, still facing him, and meditated, for once actually meditated in order to gain my fiery magic back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What has happened?” Hashirama questioned after the sun was starting to set, we had spent the whole day meditating. I quickly recounted what happened after I awoke, and what Izuna said. Hashirama seemed happy with the outcome if his tail and ears were anything to go by, the things just suddenly popped out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be going back,” I said as I noticed the darkening sky, the fireflies were coming into light up the inside of the willow, “are you...” I motioned at him with my hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll show up once, I am fully healed,” he beamed, yet his eyes were dark with hunger. I twitched, a part of me felt like prey to this wolf, it excited me. I pushed that away for now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One more thing,” Hashirama said in a serious voice as I pushed the curtain of leaves, “are you aware of your heritage?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My what?” I questioned, but he had gone back into his meditative state, I took no mind to it for now. Yet it nagged at me as I walked back to my tent. </span>
  <em>
    <span>My heritage? What does that even mean?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I took the initiative to harass Izuna, at least we two could come up with something. Going into Izuna’s tent was not the smartest thing to do now. I had three seconds to run out, or five seconds to commit murder, oh decisions. As to why I had to choose either or, well. After the incident, the Hyuuga and Sarutobi had mostly moved out to the other camp; most of the Uchiha, some Hyuuga, and the demons had stayed at this camp. Mostly those who would move into the new dream experiment of a village. So obviously the white-haired demon was around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why was I leaning towards choosing murder at this moment, said white-haired demon had pinned my brother on the bed, hands were wondering to indecent places, and there was not a whisper of a proposal. I felt my eyes turn red as a fire dragon swirled around my arms, “you have three seconds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My brother ‘eeked’, and shoved the albino off the bed, the latter stabbed daggers at me. Tobirama nonchalantly exited the tent, as my brother fixed his inner robe. “You have two seconds,” I repeated whilst looking at my brother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brother, ah, I can explain, please stop swirling the dragons,” he said, putting his hands up in self-defence. I ‘hmphed’ as I grabbed the chair at his desk and turned it to stare at him. After a moment of silence, he sighed. “Whilst you were recuperating, we, kind of, started getting along,” he said nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Understatement,” I scoffed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Izuna pouted, “he proposed a bond to me, but we haven’t, we just, ah...” He panicked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, but if you do get bonded, it doesn’t make me like him,” just thinking about it made me somewhat angry, “please do close the tent flap or seal it off with magic.” At the understanding of my implied message, his face grew redder, as red and brilliant as burning lava.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A-anyways,” he stuttered, “why are you here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your idiot’s brother mentioned something about heritage and I can’t stop thinking about it,” I said, I had an idea, because then again it had been obvious, but when was also a good question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you have been thinking what I have,” Izuna said and he lowered his voice, “the Uchiha clan has demon blood mixed in, but it is stronger in our family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, something like that,” it obviously explained why I had certain possible demonic afflictions, but not why I never showed any of the usual traits, neither had Izuna.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After much discussion, we concluded that the Uchiha clan must have had some demon mixed in at least five to six generations ago, whilst in our family, perhaps our grandparents had some explaining to do. Probably from our mother's side, because father, “very unlikely” was our response in unison.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Going back to my tent, I looked over the damn book calmly this time. Read all about demons. I had no horns, or any other traits, which made me wonder what kind of demon did we derive from. Then the bonds, and the heats, and the... oh this really does explain everything. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Madara, you are an idiot.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I accept that, when I am busy with something else in mind, everything else just escapes my brain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Hashirama walked into camp, a week later, there was a commotion. The celebrity just walked in, sort of commotion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Forest God,” the whispers ran like the river. Some women and even some men were giving him the eye. Mouths almost watering, hands extending to manage to touch the godly figure. Admittedly, Hashirama looked handsome, skin-tight light armour he usually used for combat, long brown hair that caught the rays of the sun in threads of gold, and his molten gold eyes; but he is mine. A twinge of not-jealousy ran through my body, so I decided to run to him; staring daggers at any who approached too much. The bond mark started to glow ever so faintly by my collar. That shut some of them up, but they only stared more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I pulled the oblivious man to my tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are being very straight forward, Madara,” he smiled making his way to sit on my bedding, I made sure to seal off the tent with magic. Blushing rather deeply. I was feeling very possessive and I am blaming it on my newfound nature.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are being too showy,” I huffed as I sat next to him. He hummed, tail and ears popping out, magnificent black horns materializing. He caressed my cheeks with his clawed hands, softly, entrancing. It made me hum. Slowly his lips came to mine, tongue licking, then claiming. Taking my breath away as he mapped my mouth with his, my back found itself against the bedding. He nipped and bit his way down my neck, pausing and giving special attention to where the bond mark was. His hands were gently disrobing me, making their way to my bare chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet, I had to go and fuck it up, “Wait, wait… Meeting, there is,” I pushed my hands against his chest that was so close to me, barely catching my breath that had gotten laboured in the ordeal. He snarled, eyes growing dark with desire, “You should know not to stop a hungry demon.” He continued to undress me. I trembled with want, exposing my neck more to him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It is a demon thing.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Came a thought. Was it now him in heat? Book did say Sires can get affected after bonding, though sometimes not at the same time as their Bearers’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I moaned as he removed my pants, I tried to keep quiet even if I had sealed the tent with a silencing spell. I could hear the outside, but they could not hear inside. “Take off,” I mumbled, pulling at his damn armour. The thing was like a second skin, accentuating his muscles which flexed under the request. He was taking his sweet time; it was my turn to growl. Short from ripping everything off him, pushing him down instead and straddling him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes shone with a hint of mischief, “Very straightforward,” he teased bucking his hips. His length pressed between my butt cheeks, some of that slick was already coming out; apparently it was only abundant during my heat. I mewled, but decided to kiss him to quiet myself down. He accepted my small gasps, drinking them gladly. I kissed slowly to where his own mark was, and he did what I already did so naturally, presenting it. I bit down on it, because something in me said so. He groaned, and I could feel his shaft harden more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, he swiftly changed our positions. My back hit the bed again, and I couldn’t help but whimper and spread my legs more. I wanted him, filling me up. “Suck,” he commanded, presenting three clawed fingers to my mouth. I gladly took them, coating them eagerly as he peppered butterfly kisses down my chest and stomach. After he deemed them wet enough, he took them away, a string of saliva following. He circled a digit around my entrance, it was already quite moist due to anticipation. “Mn,” escaped my lips as he pushed in the digit. One became two, and he was opening me up to him. I held onto the sheet, as two became three, “ah,” more moans escaped as I curved my back; he was hitting that bundle of nerves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want me?” Came the luscious voice close to my ear, heavy with lust, he nibbled my ear lobe. I shuddered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please,” my breaths came short, ragged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He aligned himself to my puckering entrance, anticipating to be filled. Yet he had to be a damn tease, “do you want me?” I whined, trying to wriggle, to get him in me, something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me,” he demanded in that dark voice, dripping with want.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ravage me, fuck me into the mattress, just,” I paused, only briefly, because I was being overwhelmed by the feelings that came to me, love, adoration, a hint of pride, want, “just, fill me up this time.” He growled fiercely, he knew what that meant, he pushed in. Unhurriedly, steadily, mercilessly dragging out that feeling, I was being stretched and I was loving it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So tight,” he exhaled as he sheathed himself in, I could feel the bulb at the base, and it somehow made me salivate. I was becoming animalistic. “You take me so well, Dara,” I moaned as he slowly pulled out, just to slam back in. I tried to hold onto his shoulders as he quickened the pace. It felt so hot, and I was going delirious, it felt too good. I could only moan his name. My weeping dick was being neglected, but I could still feel it all too much. He pulled out, only to rest one of my legs over his shoulders. The new angle hit that wonderful spot in me dead on, “yes, please, harder, yes,” I chanted. I tried to grasp onto the sheets as my toes curled, my back was arching, I wasn’t going to last long. I could feel him deep inside me with every thrust, I was losing grip in the flow of my magic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His lips curled deviously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let my leg down to hold onto my waist and pound me onto the mattress. “You want my knot, Dara?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gods, yes.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I nodded; my moans could not even form a simple ‘yes’. His thrusts became more erratic, as he bit down onto the abused bond mark. It was just too much; I was already releasing onto our stomachs. I felt so sensitive, too sensitive, but then he pushed further in. The stretch was now burning, and that bulb on his manhood was expanding. I mewled and cried. He licked the broken skin. His thrusts became shallower, and then I could feel him filling me up. Warmth and content came to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was trying to not squeeze me as his arms gave out in tiredness, but I wanted to feel his weight on me. I held onto him tightly. I moaned as he kept filling my insides, then whined as his softening cock left me, small trickles coming from my abused hole. He licked his lips seductively as he looked at me. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Debauched.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I wanted more but we are in a camp, and there are things that must be done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Commander, you are expected at the meeting with our distinguished guest,” sounded a voice from outside. Yes, this commander is full and covered in said distinguished guest’s seed. I sighed, too tired to deal with this. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It must be done</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We showed up after thorough cleaning, though by how Tobirama saw us, wrinkled nose with disgust; </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes, I just fucked your brother. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The meeting went on, relatively decently.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This used to be the last chapter...</p><p>&gt;///&lt; shy away due to self-awareness over smut.<br/>Also, I just realized claws are involved 0-0.<br/>Don't worry, a Madara was not hurt in the writing of this smut, Hashirama's claws were retracted?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The conclusion.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, this was short.</p><p>Apologies for the grammar.<br/>Yes, even for this tiny piece of text.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>We created a village hidden from the world, surprisingly peace was welcomed with little squabbles and complaints. Most mages and demons got along well enough. In a democratic conclusion, Hashirama was to lead the village’s efforts, having me as second in command; and his ass of a brother as a counselor. I would murder that man, but he bonded with Izuna; I will murder that man </span>
  <em>
    <span>because he bonded with Izuna.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hashirama was the only one to stop me from plotting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We hadn’t been together since that day in my tent, because so much had to be built, distributed, accounted for. General tiredness and simply not having the same schedule. Then the celebrations for the ‘official’ completion of the village started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Demons loved celebrating, and of course, there was a banquet, liquor, music all around a large fire pit. Lanterns decorated the streets with fireflies floating around the air, attracted by the rise in magic flowing around the atmosphere. Hashirama made sure to put his input in decorating everything with his twisty vines and intricate patterns in branches and flowers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then my heat came that night, and Hashirama was elated. He took me time after time all night, fireworks and cheers far away from our minds. I was stretched and filled and pounded until all I could do was repeat his name in a chant. Moaning out requests of ‘harder, deeper’; and when he knotted me it felt like I was going to split into two, come undone under him. He’d murmur sweet nothings, mark my body, and bite down possessively on the bond mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I lost control of the flow of magic, and let it tangle with his own as he took me for the fifth time; it was even more explosive than before, like baring my soul to him in such an intimate way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When I came back to me, after the bout of lust, of craving for him for so much. I was wrapped around his arms, he softly caressed my stomach, gently carving patterns with his fingers. His tail was wagging lazily, happily. “You are back,” he grinned. I hummed, I didn’t feel sticky, he must have cleaned up after.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My mate,” I murmured, prompting him to kiss my cheeks and neck. I squeezed closer to his chest, but then I realized a flicker of something. A flow of magic within my body that was not quite mine. My eyes widened, suddenly sitting up, placing a hand over where I felt that little flicker. Does that mean?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hugged me from behind, kissing my neck more. “It’s too early to be sure, but,” he also brought his hand to where mine was. Teardrops rolled down my cheeks, I was happy because I was finally with him, with the boy I fell in love by the river.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hooray to the first fic I was brave enough to post.</p><p>I'll just keep saying roasts and hate will be eaten ^^</p><p>I generally read the Chinese BL novels... so this fandom is very on the left side of my reading expertise, but it was my shortest finished fic.</p><p>*million WIPs later*<br/>I will, maybe, perhaps post more.<br/>Sorry, I like ranting on the notes.</p><p>Come suffer (I mean enjoy) with me and my stories :D</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Do I know what I am doing?<br/>No, never.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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